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Honor Guard Needed
By John
I received this email yesterday:
It seems that my father, a three war decorated Navy Captain will not receive a "full" Honor Guard for interment a National Cemetery in Culpeper. I knew that they scaled back but not to something not this level. So I am casting a net to see what I can bring in, can you guys help? I would like to contact individual reserve units, Navy, Marine to see if I can turn one up. So could you but a general feeler out there?
Captain Richard Palmer Cordray:
After attaining the rank of Eagle Scout at age 13, Dick graduated from Columbus Academy in Columbus, Ohio in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17. He was selected for the Navy's V-12 program and attended the University of Louisville for one year before transferring to Ohio State in 1946, earning his bachelors degree in bacteriology in 1948. He was commissioned as an Ensign in October 1948. His Navy career would eventually span 29 years, cover three wars, require 11 different posts, carry 15 different job titles and include six different naval vessels. Dick was called up for active duty in 1950 at the onset of the Korean War. After that conflict, he was sent to submarine school and eventually became the Commanding Officer of the USS Hardhead for three years. He was later promoted to Captain while serving as the Commander of Submarine Division 41. He finished his distinguished career, one in which he received eight different medals and awards, at U.S. Naval Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Any Navy or Marine volunteers in DC, Virginia, or Maryland who can donate their time for a Colors and Rifle detail? Captain Cordray has certainly earned the right to be buried with full military honors.
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What day is Capt. Cordray being interred?
We live fairly close by and my husband is a Marine.
Carrie, my understanding is that Capt Cordray's son will delay the funeral until he can secure an honor guard.
Email me at john@op-for.com if your husband can help, thanks!
I cut and pasted this post into an email and sent it to some Marines who also live nearby.
Perhaps somebody will come up with an idea to help.
try contacting the American Legion Post 330 - 540-825-9835
Give the VA Regional Office a call. This doesn't sound right. Call 1-800-827-1000 the call will go to the closest VARO.
Yeah, it doesn't sound right. For my grandfather's funeral, we had two guys from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio drive to Houston just to present my grandmother with a flag.
Contact the nearst Navy Reserve Center
Please contact the US Submarine Veterans at office@ussvi.org.
I am certain that Submariners will provide a fitting farewell to one of our own.
Richard S. Lowry FTB1(SS)
Uss Ulysses S. Grant crewmember 1969-1975
I submitted this on Usenet in military groups. There are a number of veterans there that may be able to help.
He is offered exactly the same that all of us in here are. When I pass on, my honor guard will come from a joint venture of all the local Military Organizations. This includes a 21 gun salute. A good friend of mine died not long ago and they were Johnny on the Spot and he was interned in the local Military Cemetery here. If this is not available in your area then I suggest he does some followup locally and find out why. If this isn't enough then I suggest you pay people for the Privilege. What we recieve is a Right and we don't ask for anymore.
Now, if only I could get them to work on that salute of theirs.
wow, talk about small world
After coming home from our Cub Scout meeting last night, I read your post. i live 300 yards from Columbus Academy and our Pack feeds BSA Troop 98, I wonder if he was an Eagle from our Troop?
Contact the USSVI.org I'm a former state commander and it would have been an honor for us, unfortunatly we are at one of the Arizona bases. USSVI has bases much closer.
Friends, My sincere thanks for this discussion thread, it by itself, is consoling. All the ideas posted will be perused, "never say die" will always be my credo. Specific questions/comments can be sent to me directly.
This may be a bit late...but you might
try Naval Air Facility, Washingon DC over at Andrews AFB. They'll help canvas the local Navy units. E-mail me if you need a POC/phone number.
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You might check with ROTC in the area. I seem to recall reading a couple years back about some local midshipmen volunteering to serve as pallbearers for a WWII vet who had requested it.